§ 6. Mr. RandallTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of people likely to seek asylum in Britain over the next 12 months. [80955]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienFor a number of reasons, including the situation in Kosovo, it is very difficult to estimate the numbers likely to claim asylum in the next year. The figure could be in the range of 52,000 to 62,000, if we take into account all the potential applicants from countries where there may be upheavals.
§ 13. Mr. RobathanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of asylum seekers, refused asylum by his Department, who have remained illegally in the United Kingdom over the last five years. [80962]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienAt the end of November 1998, the number of failed asylum seekers who had either not appealed against the refusal of asylum or who had exhausted their rights of appeal and who were the subject of port or enforcement action was estimated to be 24,000. This figure does not include applicants whose claims had been refused, but who were not yet subject to enforcement action.
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§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers entered the United Kingdom for each month since January 1998; and of those how many were(a) granted asylum, (b) granted leave to remain and (c) refused the right to remain. [81981]
Total asylum applications1 received in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, and initial decisions on applications2, January 1998—February 1999. Principal applicants Year Total applications Total decisions Grants of asylum Grants of ELR Total refusals Backlog clearance ELR3 Backlog clearance Refusals3 January 1998 2,860 3,065 705 230 2,130 — — February 1998 2,650 3,035 405 390 2,240 — — March 1998 3,200 3,070 375 425 2,270 — — April 1998 3,135 2,520 350 320 1,850 — — May 1998 3,110 2,360 420 250 1,690 — — June 1998 3,575 2,675 580 305 1,790 — — July 1998 4,215 2,710 435 435 1,840 — — August 1998 4,420 2,480 505 380 1,595 — — September 1998 4,455 2,825 480 460 1,885 — — October 1998 5,010 3,255 630 340 2,290 — — November 1998 4,620 2,780 415 265 2,100 — — December 1998 4,770 800 50 110 645 — — January 1999 4,700 575 15 135 425 420 — February 1999 4,185 740 35 110 600 535 — Total 54,900 32,885 5,395 4,155 23,340 955 — 1Provisional figures rounded to nearest 5, with "*"=1 or 2 2Decisions on asylum applications may not relate to the same cases within each period 3Cases decided under pragmatic measures aimed at reducing the pre '93 act asylum backlog
§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what admittance criteria are applied to those seeking asylum in the United Kingdom as result of the Kosovo crisis. [82065]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienWe have agreed with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) that any recommendations for evacuation from the region should be co-ordinated through the office of the UNHCR. They will give priority to medical cases, other vulnerable persons, and the support of family unity, and make recommendations to the Home Office for consideration.
Asylum seekers from Kosovo who arrive in the United Kingdom independently will be admitted pending consideration of their claims in accordance with the 1951 Geneva Convention, in the usual way.